Electoral Rolls - Hatfield

[valan]

I am trying to trace the marriage of Thomas Charman and Annie Upton - they lived together in Hatfield in the 1940s and died there - he in 1945 and she in 1944 as Annie Charman. They are not together in the 1901 census and no marriage record can be traced. Could someone please tell me how I can trawl through the electoral rolls to see when they appeared together? Many thanks.
Valan

[Meliora]

Hello, Valan,

You would have to visit Hertford Record Office to look at any Electoral Rolls.    This is done in a reading room, not in the general search room.  You have to order the ones you wish to see & wait until they are brought up from the archives, it is possible the ones  you want are not held there, but the can be made available.   I have searched them there myself & the staff are very helpful.   Do remember that no Electoral Rolls were taken during the war years.  Searching the rolls is done by address not by surname & they are not always indexed.

There is a website for Hertford RO. Archives. 

http://www.hertsdirect.org/libsleisure/heritage1/HALS/

There is a link for opening hours & contact info., research etc.

What info do you have for Thomas Charman & Annie Upton. ?
What were their ages at death ?    If you  have the certificates, was Annie shown as Charman or Upton  & stated as being wife of Thomas, & for Thomas, was he shown as widower of Annie. ?     Where have you looked for a marriage, free BMDs or the complete ONS BMDs ?

If you have this info, post it, we may be able to help.

Meliora

[valan]

Thank you so much for your detailed information. I have checked every marriage record from 1944 when she died back to 1905. Their only child was born in 1908. Haven't got their death certificates yet but Annie is recorded as Annie Charman on her death. I shall take your advice and see how I get on.
Many thanks again
Regards
Valan

[Meliora]

Where was the only child of Thomas & Annie born ?   Have you looked for the births for Thomas & Annie ?   Their death entries show that Thomas was 76 years old therefore born c 1869, Annie was 66 years old making her born c 1878.   I have looked at the various census years but without knowing where they were born it is not easy.  I can't help wondering if they were both born in Middsx, not Herts. as many people were moved out of London into the Home Counties due to loosing their homes in the wartime bombing, that is why I asked where the child was born.

Look forward to hearing when you have more info.

Meliora

[valan]

Thomas and Annie were born in Croydon in Surrey and their daughter was born in Hertfordshire - so they both moved there together. I have a feeling Thomas was married before he met Annie as the wife I think he had died in 1912. In 1901 he was with his parents (Married - no wife) and there was an Eliza Charman married - no husband with her parents. So Thomas and Annie's daughter was born while he was still married. Bit complicated this. Just wondered if he married Annie in the end or she just took his name.
Thanks for taking the time and trouble
Regards
Valan

[benzon]

Hi there

Re the electoral rolls at HALS.  I recently look at some and surprisingly they are not complete.  Nothing after around 1932 I think and then the years available are a bit hit and miss. 

Women got the vote in 1918 but that was only if they were married and aged 35 or over.   I never discovered whether a widow over 35 years was eligible to vote !!!   It was not until 1928 that all women got the vote.

I suggest you check with HALS to see what years are available.  Mind I ordered certain years and then some of them weren't there.

Good Luck

Denise

[valan]

Thank you so much Denise. I shall make a note of all this and follow up as I can. Every piece in this jigsaw fills in another gap.
Thanks again
Valan